CMS approves $57,000 superintendent search contract, but it could have NC competition
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officially launched its superintendent search Friday with a $57,000 contract, but it could have competition for candidates from another district in North Carolina.
Board members unanimously approved a superintendent search contract during a called meeting with BWP and Associates, an Illinois-based firm. The district is looking for a permanent superintendent after hiring six people to lead the district since 2012. Interim Superintendent Crystal Hill was hired in December to lead the district and the prior interim leader, Hugh Hattabaugh, resigned for family reasons.
The district will pay the firm — chosen from 10 total proposals — $48,500 for consulting services, up to $6,000 for consultants’ travel, including hotel, meals and ground transportation and up to $2,500 for advertising the job. Costs will not exceed those amounts, according to the terms of the contract, which starts immediately and ends June 30.
The CMS school board will accept applications through March 10 and pick finalists for board interviews by March 20. The board plans to choose the new superintendent April 3 and approve a contract and discuss the new superintendent’s start date by April 24.
“The reality is we had many excellent choices offered to us through the RFP process, which I think proves that the CMS brand is very strong in the education world,” said Summer Nunn, the chair of the search committee that includes CMS Board Chair Elyse Dashew, Vice Chair Stephanie Sneed and Lenora Shipp.
BWP and Associates wasn’t the lowest bid compared to the other search firms, but it wasn’t the highest, either. Of the firms that provided an estimated cost, Alma Advisory Group, based in Illinois, quoted $99,000 for all costs. Imagine Consulting, a consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., estimated $70,000. The CMS search committee received proposals from three firms based in North Carolina, including Search Solution Group based in Charlotte.
The North Carolina School Board Association offered one of the lowest bids: a professional consulting fee of $21,500 plus certain additional expenses that typically add up to $4,000-$6,000.
Nunn told The Charlotte Observer the search is national.
“Whether we have an internal candidate or a community candidate or a national candidate — at the end of the day they have to go through the exact same process,” Nunn, an executive marketing professional, said. “There is a real desire to find the best option available to us. “
BWP and Associates guarantees the firm will conduct a new search at no cost if either the new superintendent resigns or CMS terminates them within a two-year period of initial employment.
CMS competing with another in NC
CMS won’t be the only one looking to fill its top leadership spot. It could compete with multiple large districts looking for superintendents, including Wake County Public Schools, the largest in the state.
Wake County Superintendent Catty Moore announced Thursday that she’s retiring at the end of the school year. In her announcement, Moore, who was the district’s first Latina superintendent, said she made the decision “with a heavy heart.” Wake County Public Schools has 158,412 students.
Collier County Public Schools in Naples, Fla., is another large district looking for a superintendent. San Bernardino City Unified School District in California and St. Louis Public Schools, one of Missouri’s largest districts, recently hired new superintendents.
CMS is the second-largest district in North Carolina and the 17th-largest in the country. It has 141,219 students.
“It doesn’t make me nervous as long as we do the work,” Nunn said about competing with other districts to hire a superintendent. “We have a very thorough timeline, which is more than what we’ve done. Charlotte is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. At the same time we’re still affordable. I see it as a great opportunity for someone. We have a chance to showcase Charlotte — the location, growth and involvement from the community.”
Here’s what CMS is paying for
BWP and Associates has conducted more than 800 “successful” executive searches, according to their website.
Consultants will interview candidates and present a list of candidates for board consideration within 10 days of when the application window closes. Consultants also will check references and credentials and provide board members training on “items related to search protocols, interview formats and interview questions,” the contracts says.
Board members can request consultants with BWP and Associates make salary and compensation package recommendations, and consultants will assist with onboarding the selected candidate.
Consultants also will assist board members with the transition of leadership and provide mentoring for the new superintendent for at least the first full year at no charge.
This story was originally published February 11, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
CORRECTION: This story was corrected to remove a reference to the Sacramento City Unified School District, whose superintendent has been in the position since July 1, 2017.
